NEC Multisync LCD205WXM

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Review Price: £236.75

If there are any regular readers out there that think that the NEC Multisync LCD205WXM looks rather familiar then you’re not alone – I think it looks familiar too. That’s because it sports exactly the same design as NEC’s LCD225WXM, which I reviewed a few weeks ago. In fact, the only visual difference between them is that the LCD225WXM is a 22in screen, whereas the LCD205WXM is a 20in screen. Other than that it’s the same monitor, which means that this possibly won’t be the most exciting review ever. Let’s find out.

Design wise then there’s nothing much to say here that wasn’t covered in the review of the 22in model – it’s a solid, deliberately understated design that will neither excite nor offend. Perfect then for a company that wants to project a sensible, non-controversial image – i.e. most of them. The thin bezel is definitely a highlight and the five buttons have nicely rounded edges and have a decent feel to them.

One thing I couldn’t help feeling is that the monitor seemed rather small to me. While a 20in seems large in fact it’s simply a widescreen equivalent of a standard 5:4 aspect ratio 17in panel, which will explain the lack of impact of the screen on the desk. It says something of how prevalent large screen desktop monitors have become, at least in our offices, that a 20in display can seem so underwhelming.

The stand design on this understated NEC uses a circular base, which lets you rotate the screen on the spot. You can also raise it up and down, but only a small amount, and tilt it back very slightly and forward a bit more. On my desk I found that it was best to work with it at its lowest point and tilted slightly back. Naturally, there’s no pivot – it’s a monitor, not an acrobat.